Latest MCAS results a mixed bag for Greater Fall River schools

Many school districts in the Fall River area showed some movement in 2013 MCAS test scores, whether positive or negative, according to statewide standardized test results released Friday.

A few districts in the area showed that progress had been made toward boosting students’ proficiency in English language arts, math and science. There were some declines as well.

Michael Gagne

Many school districts in the Fall River area showed some movement in 2013 MCAS test scores, whether positive or negative, according to statewide standardized test results released Friday. A few districts in the area showed that progress had been made toward boosting students’ proficiency in English language arts, math and science. There were some declines as well.

The Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education named two area high schools “Commendation Schools” — Swansea’s Joseph Case High School and Somerset Berkley Regional High School. Both had achieved Level 1 status.

In the 10th-grade science exams, 85 percent attained at least proficient, with 26 percent scoring in the advance range. Two percent of those who took the science exam failed.

Most other schools in Somerset stayed at their previous levels with the exception of Wilbur Elementary School, which was downgraded from a Level 1 to Level 2 school for “not meeting” targets toward narrowing its achievement gap. South Elementary is now the Somerset School District’s only Level 1 elementary school.

DIMAN

Diman Regional Vocational Technical High School, while still maintaining Level 1 status, fell off a little on its scores. In 10th-grade math, there was a 4 percentage point decline in test scores, and an 8 percentage point decrease in science. ELA scores remained unchanged.

The percentage of 10th-graders at Diman to attain at least proficiency on the ELA exam was 93 percent, while the percentage on math and science were 80 percent and 66 percent, respectively. Overall, ELA proficiency was down by 2 percentage points. Eighteen percent scored advanced, 7 percent scored needs improving; no student failed.

Elsewhere in Fall River, the Atlantis Charter School still maintained its Level 1 status. According to DESE, the school has met its goals toward narrowing its achievement gaps.

According to test results, there were some notable year-to-year declines: In 2013, the ELA proficiency rate of third-graders declined by 15 percentage points. Sixth-grade math scores fell by 13 percentage points. In eighth grade, a 17 percentage point gain in math scores was countered by a 10 percentage point decline in ELA and a 9 percentage point drop in science scores.

As a whole, 68 percent of students scored proficient or advanced in ELA. Only 3 percent failed. Also as a whole, 60 percent scored proficient or advanced in math; 7 percent failed. In science, 44 percent achieved at least proficiency, while 5 percent attained warning or failing scores.

FREETOWN-LAKEVILLE

In the Freetown-Lakeville School District, Apponequet Regional High School maintained its Level 1 status, while the region as a whole is a Level 2.

Eighth-graders made the most gains over 2012, with a 16 percentage point increase in math proficiency scores and a 10 percentage point increase in science proficiency scores.

Sixth-grade math proficiency scores also increased by 10 percent, while ELA proficiency scores in fourth grade dropped by 9 percent and math by 13 percent. In all, 76 percent of Freetown-Lakeville students achieved proficient or advanced in ELA, while 68 percent of test takers achieved at least proficiency in math, and 69 percent in science.

WESTPORT

In Westport, science scores went down across the board. The decline in fifth-grade proficiency was 12 percentage points; in eighth grade, 11 percent; and in 10th grade, proficiency scores declined by just 1 percentage point.

In other tests, scores districtwide were relatively unchanged. ELA proficiency scores went down by 1 percentage point, and math proficiency improved by 3 percentage points. Seventy-two percent of ELA test takers achieved proficiency, while 62 percent of students achieved at least proficiency in math and 50 percent in science.